As one of the first lines of defense, primary care professionals need to have a wide knowledge base to properly educate and counsel patients, as well as screen, diagnose, treat, and manage specific conditions.

In this issue, we highlight derma­tology care and raising patient awareness regarding changes in the condition of their skin, specifically those associated with melanoma. Raising patient awareness is key for detecting this condition, because patients need to be able to recognize changes in their skin before coming to you for screening.

As community pharmacists, it is common sense to inform patients about the importance of filling all of their prescriptions at one pharmacy, preferably our own. We often give this recommendation without a second thought about why patients would be using multiple pharmacies, or switching from one to another in the first place. In addition to telling patients to use one pharmacy, it is important to address the underlying issues of why they are not.

Skin care is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Knowing your skin and when to report changes in your skin to your healthcare provider can lead to early detection of skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States. Here are 5 self-care tips for your skin, and skin cancer prevention.

Established in 1991 as a nonprofit healthcare corporation, Escambia Community Clinics, Inc (ECC), Pensacola, FL, has provided access to care for the medically needy, underinsured, and underserved citizens of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

During my first national professional meeting, I attended a session about the future of the pharmacy profession. I learned about collaborative practice agreements (CPAs) for the first time, and left the session feeling intrigued.

A 63-year-old man with multiple medical problems was seen by his primary care doctor for a routine follow-up appointment. Despite receiving psychotherapy, the patient admitted that he continued to struggle with anxiety. In light of these concerns, the primary care physician elected to prescribe an antianxiety agent, alprazolam. The clinic had just implemented electronic prescribing—the ability to electronically transmit a new prescription to a pharmacy. The physician reassured the patient that he didn’t need a paper prescription and could simply go to the pharmacy to pick up his medications.